Hi Everyone, Happy Thanksgiving If anyone knows Heather Toma please ask her to contact us hopeforthewild@yahoo.com or 908 362-9453 (fb)

It is soooooo cold outside, so Please: Be Kind, If You Find, An Opossum Please be nice to opossums if you find them in your barns, garages or sheds. They are North America's only marsupial (pouched mammal) and they are ill-equipped for the snow. They have no fur on their feet, ears or tail, so are very susceptible to frost bite. Often when opossums are seen, they are ravaged by frostbite, so they are missing toes, missing part of their tails, and their ears are crumpled. They are beautiful, gentle animals and are one of the few mammals that rarely, if ever, get rabies. Why? Because they have a normal body temperature that is below most other mammals. The rabies virus can't survive at this lower body temperature. A healthy opossum's normal reaction to the presence of a human is to stay still, open its mouth and drool. This is a normal reaction! Many people think these are symptoms of rabies in an opossum and that is not true! Opossums are not athletes. They can't run fast, jump well or climb well, so their only defense is to be very still, and show you all 50 of their teeth and pray that you just go away. Opossums are omnivores and help us by consuming ticks and tick eggs. They also eat venomous snakes as they are immune to their venom. They are called "Nature’s Little Garbage Men" eating rotten fruits and vegetables and road kill, but in the process, often becoming road kill themselves. They are often drawn to areas where there are outdoor pets, such as where feral cats are fed, as they eat cat food, dog food, and even birdseed. Often, opossum take shelter under sheds and decks or in feral cat shelters which are usually made by using small water proof boxes filled with hay. Please, be kind to opossums! If you find an Opossum in trouble please call a local Rehabilitator for help. (fb)